West Point sets new levy at $7.02

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG

PCC EDITOR

WEST POINT - Residents in West Point will pay about 2.3% more in property taxes this year with a new levy of $7.02.

At Tuesday's regular meeting of the West Point City Council, the council held a public hearing on the budget and heard no comments from the public. The hearing was closed and the council approved the budget at the new rate 5-0.

According to West Point City Administrator Gary Menke, the city really didn't ask for any additional funds. Total revenue from the levy is projected to be $225,000.

"The dollars really are flat compared to last year," he said after the meeting, "We had two multi-residentials go single residential so that hurt us a bit and we had to increase the levy to make up the difference."

City officials are projecting an ending fund balance of $1,924,417 on re-estimated figures for the current year, but the 2019 fiscal year shows an increase in the ending balance on June 30, 2019 of $2,130,441.

Total revenues for the next budget year are projected at $3,040,830 with total expenses coming in at $2,834,806.

The city's enterprise funds, which are water, sewer, and utility funds are projected to run at a slight deficit with revenues totaling $1,837,831 and revenues just a bit behind at $1,827,864.

In other action, the council approved putting up the Veterans' Memorial Park for sale.

Menke said the park, located on the city's west side off of Fourth Avenue, is now just a vacant ball park and could be subdivided into as many as three lots, but didn't specify what zoning would be required, other than to say the city would like to see some property taxes generated from the property. He said the city will start taking sealed bids on the lots on Tuesday with an April 9 deadline.

Menke said a group would probably get together the day before the 9th, which is the next city council meeting, and open the bids.

"We're gonna consider anything and everything, but right now it is zoned residential. If it was the right business we'd consider it, but we just want people to know out of the gate that it would require a zoning change. We're going to look at all the offers," Menke said.

budget, city council, Gary Menke, Pen City Current, Veteran's Memorial Park, west point

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